Improvement in boots and shoes



J. FLEMING.

BOOTS AND SHOES. No. 189,444. Patented April 10, 1877.

WITNESSES I JV V EWTOR By fills Attorneys. Jan-7,88 d'aizf 445, A 1 22'.

N. PETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FLEMING, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 189,444, dated April 10, 1877; application filed January 17, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES FLEMING, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seamless Shoes, of which the following is a specification, that will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce a perfect-fitting high-cut shoe of two pieces of stock; and my invention consists of such a shoe with a single side seam, curved or deviating so as to conform to the contour of the foot and ankle, and united on the opposite side, below the buttons or lacing, by a short lap seam, and without any front or back seams.

In the drawings, Figurel represents a side, a front and side, and a back and side, view of such a shoe.

A indicates the front; B, the back; 0, the button-hole lapel, and D my curved or deviatin g side seam.

In this illustration the shoe is shown without a -button-piece, and it buttons down the side, the buttons being attached to the outside quarter of the shoe.

Fig. 2 represents a similar shoe, except that the button-lapel is cut smaller, and has a higher and curved lap-seam below the buttons, the shoe being constructed to button down the side and front.

In both of these shoes the outside or button quarters are entirely Whole and without seam of any kind, and the shoes have like advantages respecting the curved seam, and facility of manufacture.

Fig. 3 represents a side-lace shoe with my curved or deviating side seam, and without front or back seams.

The advantages of employing this scam to follow the contour of the hollow of the foot and of the ankle are, first, that it enables the cutter to use a much more advantageous blocking-pattern on his stock, resulting in a saving of material; second, that it enables the crimping to be done to much better advantage, and with much more case, rapidity, and success,

' leaving the front of the upper of more uniform shape, as both sides of the upperareofaboutthe same dimensions. It also enables the cutter to readily vary the dimensions of the upper to fit the different shapes of feet.

I am aware that button and side-lace shoes have been made without any vertical seams back or front, and from one, two, or more pieces of stock; but I am not aware of any high-cut button or side-lace boot or shoe having been made from two pieces of stock and closed on the side opposite the buttoning or lacing by my peculiar curved or deviating side scam, in the manner and for the purposes herein specified. I am aware that side seams have heretofore been employed in the manufacture of both boots and shoes, and that both front and back seams have been dispensed with, and I do not claim, broadly, such a shoe 5 but What I do claim as my improvements in high-cut shoes of this class is A high-cut boot or shoe having a button or lace opening at the side, composed of two pieces of stock, united by a curved or deviating side seam opposite the opening, all substantially as shown and described, for the purpose'set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAMES FLEMING.

Witnesses:

JAMES M. BALL, GEo. W. WALKER. 

